Season Preview (WD1): No. 2 Maryland

Sarah Mollison's nickname at Maryland was Smalls, which was a
pun on her name and a joke about her petite stature. But her
influence on the Terps was huge. The Australian attacker served as
the backbone of Maryland's offense for years. She parked herself
behind the goal and hit her teammates with all sorts of beautiful
passes, or worked the crease like an expert to create her own
shots. Mollison had 56 goals and 45 assists in 2011.

How do you replace someone like that? Maryland head coach Cathy
Reese's answer: You don't.

"She was a unique player and she did great, and now other people
are going to be ready to contribute," Reese said. "That's an area
where we're looking to throw in a few changes."

Don't expect to see junior Alex Aust or senior Kristy Black
hanging out behind goal line extended trying to do their best
Mollison impressions. Reese isn't looking for a Mollison
replacement; she's looking for the next evolution of Maryland
lacrosse. Her teams are traditionally player-centric, built to
adapt to the strengths of the personnel at hand. They don't try to
get players to execute a predetermined style.

The Terps will have a powerful offense, as they have had since
time immemorial. Without Mollison, Maryland will attack from up top
more often, especially with IWLCA Midfielder of the Year (and top
returning scorer) junior Katie Schwarzmann in transition. On low
attack, the Terps will joyfully welcome back Karri Ellen Johnson,
the 2011 Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Player of the Year
who missed 12 games after sustaining a season-ending concussion in
March. Johnson was cleared to play before fall ball began, and
Reese said she has not lost a step.

"She's such a fun player to watch play. She gets going and she's
just unstoppable," Reese said.

Johnson is enthusiastic about playing with Black and Aust, as
well as whichever underclassmen break into the lineup.

"Everything is open for trial and error. This year, it's about
just being dynamic from any position. We can go behind, up top or
from the side," Johnson said. "It's just being dangerous from
everywhere."

Defensively, the Terps will be young, with the exception of
senior Brittany Dipper (6.54 goals against average), the returning
IWLCA Goalie of the Year, and junior defender Iliana Sanza. Senior
defender Kristie McAfee, a supporting player in 2011, will take a
larger role. (McAfee was absent from fall ball due to her
commitments as a defender for the Maryland women's soccer team,
which advanced to the NCAA tournament's round of 16.)

Schwarzmann returns to anchor the midfield. Sophomore Beth
Glaros took over on the draw last season when Johnson was injured
and quickly matured into a major contributor, posting 25 draw
controls and 19 ground balls. Glaros also contributed 29 points.
That number should climb as she gets more playing time this
season.

Reese knows she is lucky to have a plethora of talent on hand,
and she has the luxury of waiting to see who inevitably emerges as
a breakout star from the ranks of the underclassmen. She's quick to
give starting spots to freshmen, who have typically acquitted
themselves well when given the chance to shine.

"[Reese] definitely makes it easier to adjust and just welcomes
the freshmen with open arms and just makes it really easy to
adapt," said Johnson, who started every game of her career before
her concussion.

There are 10 true freshmen on the Terps' roster, plus three
redshirts. Who is the next Sarah Mollison? It's mostly up to
them.

This article appears in the February
issue of Lacrosse Magazine, the flagship
publication of US Lacrosse. Join US
Lacrosse and its 400,000-plus members
today to start your subscription to LM.Follow
LaxMagazine.com all season long, and check out the
Terps' team
page.